FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Pacific battled to tie the game in the first half of the doubleheader, but Lewis & Clark pushed a run across in the ninth to steal the series opener. The Boxers' bats came alive in game two, banging out 13 hits en route to a 8-2 victory to even the series.
The Boxers (8-7, 3-5 NWC) trailed 4-1 in the first game of the day as they mustered just one hit through seven innings. Pacific rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth but the Pioneers answered with the game-winning run in the top of the ninth.
Game number two was a tight contest until the Boxers broke things open with two runs in the seventh and four runs in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
Damon Tanner (Sophomore/El Dorado Hills, CA) enjoyed a three-hit day with three singles in Pacific's game-two win.
Patrick Muskat (Redshirt Freshman/Beaverton, OR) blasted his first homer of the season, a three-run shot to extend the Boxers' lead in the second half of the twin bill.
Max Nealon (Senior/Redmond, WA) and
Tyler Quinn (Junior/Mililani, HI) each picked up two knocks on the day. The two infielders tallied an extra base hit, providing some power in the middle of the lineup.
David Allen (Junior/Keizer, OR) improved to 2-0 on the season after his brilliant relief performance. The junior allowed just three hits in his four innings of work, picking up three strikeouts.
Game 1
Lewis & Clark raced to an early 2-0 lead by plating a run in the 1
st and 3
rd innings.
Brad Altomare (Senior/San Ramon, CA) gave the Boxers some energy in the fifth inning when he stole home plate to cut the lead in half.
Both offenses would go silent until the eighth inning when the Pioneers posted two runs to make it a 4-1 advantage.
By drawing two walks and a hit-by-pitch,
Cole Strober (Senior/Pacific City, OR),
Ty Yukumoto (Freshman/Waipahu, HI), and Quinn would load the bases to start the home half of the eighth. A pair of singles from
Ryan Krout (Senior/Washougal, WA) and
Davis Koester (Sophomore/Trout Lake, WA) would clear the bases, tying things up at 4-4.
However, a controversial inning-ending double play would halt the threat. The Pioneers replied by scoring one run in the ninth and would shutout the Boxers in the final frame to steal the first game of the series.
Game 2
After three scoreless innings to start the game, Lewis & Clark opened the scoring with one run in the fourth. Pacific scored twice in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead, using hits from Tanner, Muskat, and Nealon in the rally.
The Pioneers got a run back in the sixth, but the Boxers would go to work in their half of the seventh when Nolan McNeil (Senior/San Tan Valley, AZ) led off the inning with a pinch-hit double down the left-field line. Strober, pinch-running for McNeil, scored on a passed ball before Quinn launched a triple over the right fielder's head to score bring another run home, making the score 4-2.
In the eighth inning,
Isaac Lovings (Senior/Beaverton, OR) slapped a base hit to center before Tanner earned his third hit of the day. With two runners on base, Muskat stepped to the plate and smashed a no-doubt home run to left field.
An Altomare base hit would bring another run home and that would put the game out of reach. Pacific would take game two to set up for an exciting rubber match on Sunday.
Up Next
The Boxers go for the series victory over tomorrow afternoon at Chuck Bafaro Stadium. First pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.
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